Discharge controlling and sealing means for collapsible tubes



June 15, 1954 H ELLIOT 2,68

W. DISCHARGE CONTROLLING AND SEALING MEANS FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed April 2, 1952 \NvENToQ Patented June 15, 1954 DISCHARGE CONTROLLING AND SEALING MEANS FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES William H. Elliot, Whitefish Bay, Wis.

Application April 2, 1952, Serial No. 280,080

4 Claims.

sure to air and tend to curtail waste of thecontents.

A further object is to provide means of the character aforestated which in use will not require detachment and replacement of any part thereof.

Another object is to provide means of the character aforestated which in normal use allows the issuance of only a predetermined amount of the contents and then automatically seals the orifice against further discharge therethrough as a function of squeeze of the tube incident to the discharge effected.

A further object is to provide means of the aforestated character which may generally be attached to existing collapsible tubes without requiring modification therein.

A still further object is to provide a construction which is simple, inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to operate.

Various other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the applicants co-pending application Serial No. 184,203, filed September 11, 1950, various embodiments of discharge controlling and sealing means for collapsible tubes are disclosed. Although the ultimate in simplicity is attained by these constructions, the present invention achieves two important improvements over the original disclosure, namely: screw-tight sealing of the tube to insure long shelf-life and withdrawal of the operating stem into the cap in the factory-sealed condition to eliminate the possibility of the stem puncturing the enclosing carton in shipment and, further, to allow use of a smaller carton. For a better understanding of the invention, its advantages and the specific objects obtained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the invention in the factorysealed condition.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment of the invention in the user-sealed condition.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the piston.

Referring to Figure 1, a collapsible tube l0. shown in part, has flexible body walls I I, a conical shoulder I 2, and an externally threaded neck I3 provided with an orifice I4.

A detachable can generally indicated as [5' is provided with a body 16 comprising a lower section I! internally threaded to engage the externally threaded neck I3 of collapsible tube It), and an upper section providing a cylindrical chamber 18, a conical shoulder l9 providing a tapering chamber 20, and a cylindrical head 2| with an end wall 22 providing a chamber 23. The head 2| is provided with an opening 24 preferably of a slot-like nature and transversely disposed and with an axially located opening 25 in its endwall 22.

A piston 26 with an operating stem 21 has a skirt 28 internally threaded to engage the externally threaded neck It of collapsible tube 10. The lower wall or skirt 28 of this piston is provided along its extremity with bosses or extensions 29 and 39 of different angular widths as best shown in Figure 3, or non-symmetrically located, which in the factory-sealed condition engage with corresponding key-ways, such as 3| in the upper face of section H, see Figure 2, to effect matching of the threads of the skirt 28 and those of section I! as one member and causing the piston 25 when so engaged to turn with the cap body !5. Other methods of locking the piston 26 to the body !5 will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Piston 26 is designed to slide freely, but with minimum clearance, into cylindrical chamber 23 as its integral stem 2! slides through stem opening 25 in endwall 22. The internal diameter of chamber I 8 is appreciably greater than the diameter of piston 26.

The axial lengths of the threaded body section I! and threaded piston skirt 28 are so coordinated with the length of the threaded neck I3 of tube i0 taht when the piston is fully seated in body section I? and the body [5 is screwed down fully on tube neck l3, one or more threads of the piston will engage the end threads of tube neck is and will seat the base of the piston securely over the orifice l4, positively protecting the contents 32 of the tube against leakage or deterioration through exposure to air. This position of the co operating elements of the discharge controlling and sealing means is termed the factory-sealed condition as it is the relative placement of parts at the time of filling the tube, to insure long shelf-life for the contents. It will be noted fur ther that in this condition, the stem 21 does not protrude from the head of the cap l5 suificiently to endanger puncturing the tube carton in'shipment.

To place the discharge controlling and sealing means in condition for use the cap i5 is unscrewed a turn or more sufficiently to disengage the threaded skirt 28 of the piston from the neck 13 of the collapsible tube I0. Upon squeezing the body of the tube, the piston 26 is forced into chamber 23 by flow of the contents of the tube thereby sealing discharge opening 24. The cap [5 is then turned back on the neck l3 to seating position.

Thereafter, to effect discharge of a portion of the contents 32 of the tube the piston 25 is displaced downwardly as far as it will go by application of a force to the end of the stem 21. This displacement unblocks the opening 24 and also throws the then empty chamber 23 into communication with the larger diameter chamber [8, simultaneously increasing the pressure on the contents of chamber I8. Assuming proper proportioning of parts, the contents of the tube now tend to fill chamber 23, and if the flow be aided by pressure applied externally to the flexible walls H of the tube, the chamber 23 will be quickly filled. Also, the increased internal pressure which causes this flow of contents simultaneously forces the piston 26 back into chamber 23 causing ejection of the contents of chamber 23 through opening 24 and also sealing of this opening forthwith. This position of the cooperating elements, as depicted in Figure 2, is termed the user-sealed condition.

As regards proportioning of parts, it will be understood that reference is made to the ratio of chamber I8 to piston 25 diameters and that the character of the container contents should be taken into account in proportioning the parts. For example, a ratio of 1.2/1 to 1.5/1 has been found satisfactory for certain of the commercial toothpastes and shaving creams, whereas a thinner substance might require a change in ratio to less than 1.2/1.

While, in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my invention now known to me. it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit and principles of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, an assembly comprising a body having upper and lower chambers of different dimensions and an interfitting piston with an operating stem, said body having means for detachable connection thereof to the discharge portion of a collapsible container to be carried by the container, said upper chamber being enclosed by a wall having a dis charge opening and endwall having an axial opening for said operating stem, said piston when at one limit or" travel in said body being attachable to the discharge portion of the container contacting and sealing thereto, when at the other limit of travel being in sealing relation to the discharge opening and when in intermediate positions rendering the contents of the container an actuating medium to effect return of the pieton to said second named relation as a function of pressure externally applied to the container, the container within such cycle discharging its contents in part.

2. As an article of manufacture, an assembly comprising a body having upper and lower cylindrical chambers of different diameter and an interfitting piston with an internally threaded skirt and an operating stem, said body having internal threads for detachable connection there- 7 of to the externally threaded discharge portion of a collapsible container to be carried by the container, said upper chamber being enclosed by a cylindrical wall having a discharge opening and an endwall having an axial opening for said operating stem, said piston when at one limit of travel in said body being threadably attachable to the discharge portion of the container in sealing relation thereto by rotation of said body, when at the other limit of travel being in sealing relation to said discharge opening, and when in intermediate positions rendering the contents of the container an actuating medium to effect return of the piston to said second named relation as a function of pressure externally applied to the container, the container within such cycle discharging its contents in part.

3. As an article of manufacture, an assembly comprising a body having upper and lowercylindrical chambers of different internal diameters and an interfitting piston with an internally threaded skirt and an operating stem, said body having internal threads for detachable connec-v tion thereof to the externally threaded discharge portion of a collapsible container to be carried by the container, said upper chamber being enclosed by a cylindrical wall having a discharge opening and an endwall having an axial opening for said operating stem, said piston having means affording engagement in only one rotational relation with said body in one limit of travel therein whereby it is threadably attachable to the discharge portion of the container in sealing relation thereto by rotation of said body, said piston when in the other limit of travel being in sealing relation to said discharge opening, and when in intermediate positions rendering the contents of the container an actuating medium to effect return of the piston to said second named sealing relation as a function of pressure externally applied to the container, the container within such cycle discharging its contents in part.

4. As an article of manufacture, an assembly comprising a body having upper and lower cylindrical chambers of different internal diameters and an interfitting piston with an internally threaded skirt and an operating stem, said body having internal threads for detachable connection thereof to the externally threaded discharge portion of a collapsible container to be carried by the container, said upper chamber being enclosed by a cylindrical wall having a discharge opening and an endwall having an axial opening for said operating stem, said skirt provided with extensions which aiiord thread-aligning rotational engagement thereof with said body in one limit of piston travel and attachment to said discharge portion of the container in sealing relation thereto by rotation of said body, said piston when in the other limit of travel being in sealing relation to said discharge opening, and when in intermediate positions rendering the contents of the container an actuating medrum to effect return of the piston to said second named sealing relation as a function of pressure externally applied to the container, the container within such cycle discharging its contents in part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 0 Number Name Date 1,570,900 Lieberthal Jan. 26, 1926 1,539,112 Densrnore c- Mar. 1'7, 1925 2,448,163 Wilson Aug. 31, 1948 2,508,939 De Swart V May 23, 1950 

